


Bleeding Out

by Xycuro



Series: Fratt Week #1 [3]
Category: Daredevil (Comics), Marvel, Punisher (Comics)
Genre: Blood Loss, Canon-Typical Violence, Earth 616 - Freeform, Frank and Matt having a conversation for once, Injury Recovery, M/M, Major Character Injury, Matt is extremely Stressed Out, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, Protective Matt Murdock, mentions of The Hand and Muse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22329862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xycuro/pseuds/Xycuro
Summary: The Punisher has never seen Daredevil act so distressed before.Until he noticed a familiar black suit with white stripes in his arms, now covered in blood.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Series: Fratt Week #1 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606588
Comments: 9
Kudos: 67
Collections: Fratt Week





	Bleeding Out

**Author's Note:**

> Yooo let's give it up for Day three, another comics-verse one shot with these too, now featuring Sam. I'll make sure to add him in future fics after this event.
> 
> Day 3: Wounds

  
  
The Punisher has never seen Daredevil act so distressed before.  
  
Until he noticed a familiar black suit with white stripes in his arms, now covered in blood.  
  
  


"Teacher, I'll be fine, it's nothing-"  
  


" _This isn't nothing!_ " Daredevil whispered in a hushed tone, practically carrying his apprentice away from whatever brawl they had encountered. Frank could tell even behind the white mask Blindspot wears, his face was twisted in pain. That, or he was pouting since it looks like the Devil was about to lift him off the ground.

What unsettled Frank completely was the fact that Blindspot was losing a lot of blood. His arm didn't look too good and despite his voice picking up complaints, his head was hung low.

  
Frank decided to step in.  
  


He climbs down from the open window he occupied earlier, already trying to make his presence loud and clear for Daredevil to hear. That horned head perked up from hearing Frank's boots approach closer, standing still for a moment. Even Blindspot caught on and tried to lift his head to focus on something else.  
  


"Easy Red...it's just me."

"Frank..." Daredevil muttered out in a defensive tone. He pulls Blindspot closer to him in an attempt to shield him away from the ex-marine. His mouth formed into a thin line and Frank could tell the vigilante's jaw was set. Of course, he isn't happy that The Punisher was here. When is he ever?

"Relax, I'm not here to pick a fight," Frank rolled his eyes, keeping his hands away from his pockets. "Your student's not looking too good; let me help."

He can tell there was some sort of hesitation going on, ready for the Devil to snap back at him. However, he didn't expect Daredevil to nod quickly, and he noticed how there were now darker shades of red staining his burgundy gloves.

"We need to get Blindspot to the Night Nurse. She can help him."

Frank frowned slightly. "What about a hospital? Don't tell me this kid took up your little motto of 'No hospitals'."

"Nearest hospital is too far." Daredevil replied curtly.

"Can't go to a hospital.....won't help." Blindspot coughed.  
  


Fine.

"Alright, to the Night Nurse then."

  
Frank helped guide the two back to the van he had hidden in the nearest alleyway. From there, he grabbed the first aid kit stuffed under one of the seats to stop the bleeding. Red gave him the address and he immediately drove through the night. It was fairly empty enough where no one else could see a wild van speeding down the lonely streets.

They eventually arrived at a secluded area down the corner, hidden behind a couple of buildings. The only thing that caught Frank's attention was a dim, red sign that said ' _Night Medical Center_ ' with a white plus. This had to be the right place then. Red wasted no time in getting out of the car, keeping the patches on Blindspot as he scooped him up out of the vehicle and rushed inside. Frank followed behind, glancing around only to find empty chairs on one side and two people staring at their phones on another (probably other vigilantes, who knows). This place was practically empty in comparison to any other clinic and hospital. He caught the familiar blur of Red going across one room to follow the speed of a nurse that was ahead of him. That must be the Night Nurse.

By the time he entered the room, Night Nurse was already setting up an IV and opening a few cuts from the suit. The kid was still mumbling about being okay while Red was helping the nurse with the broken arm. The tightened jawline from the Devil told Frank that he was trying to keep it together for the sake of his apprentice.

  
"Mr. Castle, pass me that tray over there, please?" Night Nurse glanced over her shoulder, pointing at the said tray that was behind him. Frank did as he was told and even offered to help out in any way.

"I can take it from here, you two sit outside for a bit and wait." She said quickly, facing Red with a neutral expression. He wasn't moving from Blindspot's side. "Daredevil, he'll be fine. I'll handle the rest."

  
Frank stood near the doorway, keeping quiet to see what Red would say or what he would do. He doesn't want to try and convince him to follow because knowing Red, it would probably blow up into an argument somehow as per usual to their routine.  
However, Daredevil simply nodded, thanking the nurse, and made his way out of the room, leaving Frank to follow behind. Two other nurses came out from one of the hallways and entered the room. At least the kid is in good hands.

Red went to sit in another waiting room area, unnaturally still with a cold gaze. Frank should probably leave. He's done his part in helping the two vigilantes get here and it's none of his business to get involved with whatever the hell happened earlier that caused Blindspot to be in this state.

But Red sitting there reminded him of something from the past. A situation that Frank could recall whenever Lisa or Junior would've injured themselves so badly that he and Maria rushed them to the hospital.  
 _No, don't think that._ Frank pushed those thoughts away. He's not one to compare, but Red is painting him an awful reminder from a memory.  
  


God damn it.  
  


"So...what happened back there?" Frank found himself sitting down next to the vigilante, trying to spark up a conversation. A word. _Something_ , out of Red. The way he sat there quietly without even acknowledging Frank with a turn of his head made the ex-marine uncomfortable.

Usually, Daredevil wouldn't shut up whenever the two of them would get into another quarrel. Then again, neither does Frank, since Red always knew how to get him talking. So for Red to not say a word is starting to make Frank worry, and he _hates_ that.

He hates worrying over the Devil.  
  


"Listen, your pupil's gonna be okay. Night Nurse knows what she's doing."

Still nothing.

Fine, if he didn't want to talk, then there's no need to push for it. Frank leans back against the chair, listening to the emptiness that came from the halls. The clinic felt like its sole purpose was just for stubborn vigilantes like Red who refuse to go to a hospital. Or just can't make it to one in time. He was about to get up and leave, knowing that there was really no use for him to be here. Frank doesn't have time to sit here and waste his concern over someone that didn't want it. Before he could do so, Red finally spoke up.  
  


"... I should've known better."  
  


Well, that's a start.

"I should've suspected it was a setup... to lure us in, but I just carried on." Red mutters, sounding completely disappointed in himself.

Frank sits up to face him. "What happened, Red?"

For a minute, he thought Red was going to go right back to playing mute, but he shook his head lightly and kept going. "A few of the Hand ninjas came in to try and set us off guard. We were after something they wanted to steal and they knew we would be an obstacle to their plan. I... I fell for another one of their traps and it led up to Blindspot's injuries."

Right, it had to be ninjas again. Does Red ever deal with anything that wasn't ninjas when he's _not_ working with the other New York heroes?

"It happens, altar boy. You can't really blame yourself for shit that's out of your control," Frank started, trying his best to not insult the man for any faults. It felt almost foreign to not do that, especially when Red has decided to be open with him. Which is rare. "Sometimes those bastards know how to mess with you."

"It's the second time it's happened with Blindspot..."

  
Second time?  
  


"What? You mean...?"

That's when Red went tense again, his lips twitched a bit to hide his scowl. Bad memories are flowing and it's clear he doesn't want to relive it. Frank stays quiet, deciding to drop the conversation. Maybe he should leave, it's not his place-

"Muse did the same thing before; he set up a trap, I fell for it and it costed Blindspot's eyes."  
  


 _Muse_.

Frank remembered that bastard.

The nutjob artist that went around killing people and used them as mediums for his murals. Frank learned about him before.  
It pissed him off to no end when the bastard made a Punisher mural using his victim's bodies - innocent people - and tried to pin the blame on him. It made him sick whenever he thought about it.

And the kid...

He lost his eyesight.

 _Wait_.  
From how Red described it... his _eyes_. Muse must've gouged the kid's eyes out...

No wonder Red was so afflicted.

This could've been Deja vu if Blindspot's arm was in a worse critical condition where they had to amputate. Now Frank was glad that Muse was dead. Asshole gouged a kid's eyes out... a _kid_.

Maybe that's what's also bothering Red.  
  


Blindspot was just a kid and so much has happened to him.  
  


"Red..." Frank didn't know what to say, at least, what to say that would lighten the situation. Nothing he could say would fix it. But Red needs to hear anything that can snap him out of the self-loathing hole he was digging himself in (digging _deeper_ in).

"This could've costed his life..."

"But it _didn't_ " Frank reassured, moving a bit closer to try and get Red to pay attention. "He's got a broken arm, he's bleeding fast, and he's not looking too good. It's bad, but it could've been worse. Your apprentice is _alive_ and still kicking."

"He wouldn't be in this situation if I had just paid more attention." Red hissed, snapping his head up from its guilty state and bared his teeth at the ex-marine. "He would've been fine if I had only double-checked, or gone first into the ambush, or-"

"Or what, Red? What would you do if you did? You would be the one lying on the bed with a broken arm and bleeding out!"

The furious eyes of the cowl only bore into his own further. "That would've been better. It should've been _me_ and not him."

"There you go, blaming yourself for shit you can't control!" Frank groaned, ignoring the anger that was radiating off the other vigilante. This god damn idiot _again_. "Have you ever considered _not_ doing that? I don't care how much Catholic bullshit you gotta go through, because the more you blame yourself, the more it'll weigh you down. That isn't going to help Blindspot in any way."

Red immediately went still again, leaning back a little in his seat, reverting back to the guilt-ridden state he was earlier.

Frank sighed. "Red, just hear me out on this, okay? Blindspot won't die and he won't lose any more body parts than he already has. You can't carry this around with you every time you and him jump into some awful situation. As much as I hate the idea of this kid running around being like you and playing vigilante, this is _his_ choice, and I know you were smart enough to try and stop him from taking that path in the beginning, right?"

A slow nod.

Alright, Frank didn't have to judge Red anymore for that.  
  


"Right; what happened to him with Muse was completely out of your control. If you wanna call yourself careless, fine, but him losing his eyesight is all on Muse, not you. The kid's tough, you have to admit that. Stubborn too, just like you."

That got him a small noise from Red. Frank couldn't tell if it was a scoff or a chuckle. He kept going.

"Blindspot knows what he's doing, Red. You can't coddle him forever because of what happened before."

"I'm not coddling him..."

" _Yes_ , you are. You giving me terrible reminders and I can't stand looking at you like this." He grunted.

"... What do you mean?"

Frank rolled his eyes again. "Come on, Red. You didn't think I wasn't scared out of my mind when my daughter fractured her elbow one time? Or when any of my men got caught in a crossfire during the war and I'd be pissed at myself? I started blaming myself, thinking that if I had just paid more attention, none of that would happen, but it did, and I had to move on from it. So should you."

He was surprised to see Red facing him again, listening, and paying attention. Good. He was starting to get to him.

"You can't let this get you to. For the kid's sake."

  
Red didn't say anything else.  
He tried saying something, but he would immediately close his mouth. Frank didn't wait for a response. He said what he had to say and that's all he'll be doing. It baffles him that here he is, The Punisher, giving advice to Daredevil out of all people. Eventually, Red sighed softly, leaning back on his chair again.  
  


"... You're right."

Wow, now that's something Frank never expected the Devil to say to him. He's not going to forget this moment for sure.

"Just trying to clear your head," Frank replied, folding his arms as he stared out at the clock ahead of them. "Someone has to. If I didn't, poor kid's gonna wake up to his mentor having an aneurysm."

That had managed to get a clear chuckle out of Red, and Frank couldn't help but savor that sound.

  
"Thank you, Frank."

  
Another moment to never forget. Daredevil, thanking _him_ of all people. "S'nothing, altar boy. Just don't want you losing your shit again."

"I'll... I'll be fine."

Frank nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure, and so will Blindspot."

The silence washed over them for a few minutes before Frank gave a tiny laugh. "You know... we actually went through a conversation without the fists and fancy batons."

"We've had clear conversations before."

"Yeah, when we're working together on missions or when Spider-Man tells us to stop fighting. I never imagined us talking outside of them."

"Well, I guess that's something, huh?"

Frank hummed, now letting his gaze wander back to the vigilante next to him. After a few pauses, they warmed up again with another conversation. Frank asked how Blindspot is able to see now, with the earlier knowledge before, and Red told him that it had something to do with the Hand, its voodoo cult methods, and some demon called The Beast. Frank decided to not press onto that. Cults are not something he wants to learn about any time soon.

Eventually, Night Nurse came around, telling Red that his apprentice is stabilized and just needs to rest. Nothing to worry about.

When Red went to go check up on Blindspot in the room, Frank caught him and the kid already exchanging banter. Altar boy was finally a bit more relaxed, and even with his arm in a sling and covered in bandages, Blindspot didn't back down. Just like his mentor.

  
He was going to be fine.  
  


  
Frank made his way out of the clinic with Red's relieved smile plastered all over his mind.

  
  



End file.
